(Closed) Are bridesmaids supposed to buy a present?

Now I know the etiquette police are going to have a field day with this one because I said the p word, but I was wondering if a bridesmaid would be expected to bring a gift when

A. They did not purchase ANYTHING for the wedding: hair, makeup, accommodation & dress all purchased by the bride & groom

B. they did not organise or pay for a thing for the hens

I know gifts shouldn’t be expected from anyone as most people it’s quite an effort just to attend a wedding, but perhaps in lieu of the above which are usually expected from the maids should there have been a gift?

I think BMs should give a gift just out of courtesy. It doesn’t even have to cost much – just a token.

When my friend got married and it cost almost my entire month’s disposable income to go to it, I gave her some of my mother’s marmalade (her favourite) and the recipe printed out beautifully (she’d wanted it forever). I also made her a video of her hen party and gave it to her on CD.

It cost next to nothing for those gifts, but it did cost me time to do everything. She really appreciated it because I put thought and effort into a gift, despite not having any money.

I think it’s just rude when people don’t offer even the smallest of tokens.

IMO it depends on how much your bridesmaids know about weddings. I was a bridesmaid a couple of times (I actually forgot I was in my cousins wedding years ago lol) and I don’t know if I got the bride a gift but I honestly had no idea that was something to do.

As a bride I see it all different and I’m giving one of my bridesmaids (whom I was a bm in her wedding) a special gift to thank her for being a bm and also for putting up with me being a half a** bridesmaid. I didn’t help much…didn’t buy gifts…mostly bought a dress and showed up. I would have done way more had I known. I guess I learned the do nothing route from being a kid in my cousins wedding and gifts and such were taken care of by my mom.

Otherwise, a bm well versed in weddings would most likely give a gift…want to give a gift IMO.

I’ve always bought a wedding gift when I’ve been a bridesmaid, even after paying for dress, hair, and even those weddings where flights and hotels were also necessary. We also received gifts from everyone in our wedding party.

So, it may be my group of friends and family, but I’d say yes- you still buy a gift. However, I see on some threads on WB that people don’t seem to think a gift is necessary at all when attending a wedding- whether you are in the wedding or not…which is a little crazy to me, but to each her own I guess!

i personally would always buy or bring a gift. there are however some situations when i think it is ok if they dont. for example if they organised and payed for your hens (or a large part of it). if they had a lot of expenses associated with the wedding eg travel, dress, shoes etc. If they had none of these then absolutely, i mean really these are the people closest to you and a gift no matter how small would be meaninful to you. I dont know what the go is with all the posts about presents and how many people actually come to a wedding empty handed, i mean really dont your parents teach you that stuff, what is polite and considerate (no offense meant at anyone at all, just saying).

I think ALL guests should give a gift, it’s just proper etiquette. You would never attend a birthday party, or shower without a gift, or a funeral without a condolences card, a wedding is no different and it’s just plain good taste to at least bring a card.

I don’t think wedding party is exempt from this, I just think they should take into consideration what they already had to spend and then gift accordingly.

They definitely are not required to give a gift, but I do think that they should WANT to.

They do have up to a year to give a gift, so it may still be forthcoming. If one does not appear, then I do think you should end your friendship over it, but it may be something that sticks with you, when you are thinking of what to gift them next.

I think it’s rude no matter who you are to not give a gift, unless you’re someone who helped pay for the wedding (ie, parents). But, if the bride is paying for everything that you’re normally required to pay for, you should give an extra generous gift, IMO. No bride has ever paid for me to get any of my stuff done and that would have really been nice.